Acts 5:17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him".... "and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.
This passage of scripture describes for us a situation which developed when the disciples began to preach the gospel in their own city, for the scribes and pharisees of their day, who were the rulers of the people, had rose up in defiance of God, and had caused His servants to be imprisoned. But the angel of The Lord was sent by night to open the prison doors, and he then gave them the specific command to go stand and speak in the temple, the words of life which God had commissioned them to speak. This action by Christ overruled the enmity of the leaders, and it brings into question how as Christians, we should balance our sacred duty to spread the gospel, with good, sound discretion.
On the one hand the disciples had been given the mandate from God, and on the other they were faced with the prospect of imprisonment for doing so, therefore we are faced with the issue of whether our sacred duty is to be made subservient to dire circumstances, or whether we should stay the course with God any which way. In addressing this all too common issue, it is worthy of note that in all circumstances where the true gospel is being preached, stubborn resistance to it may arise from time to time, and therefore the commission to preach and teach should always take precedence over any self interest.
However, there are times when in doing the will of God, discretion and care should be taken into account, for although this should always be the case, yet in some instances, very careful thought and strategy should be implemented, lest by any presumption on our part, the work God has given us be cut short prematurely. A striking example of what is being spoken of can be found in the experience of Gideon, who was given a direct mandate from God to utterly throw down the graven images that were being worshiped and reverenced by his own family.
To carry out this plan in broad daylight would have certainly invited the ire of the people, and would most likely have resulted in a confrontation with possible fatalities. Thus, to avoid any unnecessary observation or clash with idolaters, Gideon decided to carry out God's purposes in the dead of night, so that His will could be accomplished before satanic agencies had time to respond by preventing it. Let's read:
Judges 6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock".... "and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock".... 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it".... 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die"....
Now, this particular experience raises a number of relevant issues, for on the surface it may seem as if Gideon suffered from fear, judging by the way he decided to go about carrying out the mandate given him by God. But if he had chosen to do it in broad daylight, God most likely would have protected him, for God had already told him that he would be instrumental in bringing deliverance to His people. However, such a method would have necessitated Divine intervention, and so the question arises, should he do it by day, or by night? In other words, if we have the option of Divine protection in a given situation, do we take up the offer without thought and consideration, or do we seek to minimize the engagement of God's omnipotent power to deliver us, leaving that nuclear option for only when it's absolutely necessary and unavoidable?
The answer to this question can be found in the experience of Mary and Joseph, after Christ was born, for Herod sought the young child to slay Him. Christ was on a mission, sent to this earth directly from The Father, and many promises of protection were made in the Psalms, confirming the fact that God would deliver Him from His enemies. So how is it that the angel Gabriel now comes with an instruction from God, for them to take Jesus and flee by night into Egypt, because of the death threats from Herod? Let's read:
Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.
In our efforts to spread "This gospel of the kingdom", which has been given to us as a sacred legacy by Christ Himself, we also need to balance discretion with duty, for we should never place ourselves in harm's way unnecessarily, if it can be avoided. Although we should never be found surrendering the truth for any reason, yet it is the will of God that we exercise good judgment when endeavoring to fulfill the great commission, for there are instances when, like Gideon, Joseph and Mary, covert methods may have to be implemented, so as not to presume on God's deliverance, even though it remains as a viable option. Seeking God under all circumstances, and in all situations pertaining to His will, would greatly help in directing our feet into wise paths, for He has promised to teach us the way in which we should go, if we seek Him with all of our hearts.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms this very point, and it is the will of God that sound judgment and discretion will from henceforth characterize our every move. Let's read:
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!